Trending: When Michel and White are going, Pats are unstoppable

Such as: When Patriots have rushed for more than 100 yards this season, they are 10-0.

And when rookie Sony Michel has carried the ball for more than 60 yards, they are 7-0.

And the Chiefs had the 27th ranked run defence. They allowed 100 yards rushing 12 of 17 times, including last five games of the regular season.

So Michel, and James White, will be very important players in a game that was four yards from being held at Gillette Stadium.

Yup, just four yards.

You see, in back to back weeks, Michel had 57 and 59 yards. The Patriots lost 34-33 to Miami and 17-10 to Pittsburgh. So, just a little bit more from Michel in those games and they would have been 13-3 and hosting the AFC Championship game.

Michel, the 31st overall selection in the 2018 draft, did have a fine first season. He would have surpassed the 1,000 yard mark had he not missed three game with a knee injury. He wound up with 931 and six touchdowns on 209 carries.

The former Georgia Bulldog was then outstanding in his playoff debut last week, scoring three TDs as he carried the ball 24 times for 129 yards.

Questions about his obviously exceptional vision followed.

“I kind of just follow my rules,” said Michel, a 5-foot-11, 215-pounder. “As running backs, we have certain rules, certain things we’ve got to be looking at and that’s kind of the stuff that I just focus on, and I guess it happens for me. You guys look at it as vision. I just look at it as following my rules.”

And the rules are?

“Patience, aiming points, who you are reading on the play,” said Michel. “Details like that.”

Advice offered by seasoned veterans as he approached his first playoff game last week was pretty much basic stuff.

“Just keep grinding,” said Michel. “Try to be consistent and not really changing anything.”

When it comes to post-season play, Michel would be wise to put a check mark beside anything fellow running back James White would have told him.

This is White’s time of year. White became co-owner of the NFL record for most receptions in a playoff game last week, when he snagged 15 passes. He also holds Super Bowl record for most catches (14) and points (20) against Atlanta two years ago. That game also saw him score the first ever overtime points in a Super Bowl.

“You just don’t take the opportunity for granted,” White said when asked how post-season games are different. “It’s not just every year automatically you’re going to be in the playoffs, or be in the AFC Championship. So just make the most of your opportunity, live in the moment and just go out there and play your best football. You don’t want to have any regrets.”

Developing his forte – catching the ball out of the backfield – wasn’t difficult for White. Neither was learning the Patriots system under the direction of field general Tom Brady.

“Just going out there and trying to do the right things,” White said. “Pay attention to the finer details and trying to see what Tom’s seeing so we can be on the same page and I’m in the right spot when he looks my way. Just working hard at practice, OTAs, training camp and throughout the season, you continue to get better at it.”

White gave much credit to the rest of the offence – the O-line, tights ends, receivers – for the success he and Michel had last week against the Chargers.

“They’ve been giving us a big boost, giving us big holes to run through. and making it easy for us,” he said. “If we just make one guy miss, we’ve got some big runs and it’s been a big boost for our offence. If you can run the ball successfully, it opens up a lot of stuff.”

And it leads to victory at least 10-out-of-10 times for the Patriots this season.

AND ANOTHER THING: Also keep an eye on Julian Edelman’s totals. When he has at least 55 yards in receptions in a playoff game, the Patriots are 9-1. When he doesn’t, the are 2-4 … Edelman sounded like Bill Belichick when he was asked if he embraces the “underdog” role. “I’m just worried about Kansas City,” he said. When somebody followed by asking if there really and truly is a feeling of disrespect in the Patriots locker room, he replied: “Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t look into stuff like that. We’re just worried about Kansas City and doing everything i can to prepare myself mentally, physically and emotionally to go out and play my best game. I don’t know, sorry.” …. Very entertaining and funny is the the piece Jason McCourty wrote for The Players’ Tribune about signing with the Patriots, where he would finally play in the same secondary as his twin brother Devin and finally get a chance to play in the playoffs after eight years with Tennessee and one in Cleveland. “I thought it was okay,” said Devin. Very okay.

HOISTING THE TROPHY: Lamar Hunt came up with the name Super Bowl for the NFL’s biggest game. He also founded the AFL, which merged with the NFL for the 1970 season. Hunt, who owned the Chiefs, passed away in 2006 at the age of 74. The Lamar Hunt Trophy has gone to the AFC champions since 1984. Never has it been presented to the Chiefs. Only once before have they ever played for it, and that was in 1993, when they lost 30-13 tot he Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs would very much like to hand the Lamar Hunt Trophy to his youngest son Clark, who is part owner, chairman and CEO of the Chiefs. “That’d be great,” said coach Andy Reid. “When it has your name on it, that’s a pretty big thing. Lamar Hunt was special. I think it’s special for the National Football League and then obviously special if he’s your father. To have the opportunity to work with his kids, and Clark in particular, I understand the importance of that. Not that he has to tell me, he doesn’t have to say anything, and he hasn’t said anything.”

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